Low back pain is a relatively frequent complaint amongst pregnant women and has been related to factors such as altered posture, relaxation of ligamentous structures in the spine and pelvis, and direct pressure on the uterus. Obese persons, particularly those with large abdomens, also can suffer from back strain, mainly as a result of having to adopt a backward leaning posture to compensate for a disproportionate amount of forward weight.
An abdominal support designed by a physical therapist is available by special order from Trennaventions, Seattle, Washington, under the trademark BABYHUGGER (U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,372, granted Dec. 6, 1988). This support is merely a loosely fitting, flannel panty with a supportive upward lifting abdominal strap which extends over the shoulders. The arrangement does not appear to provide any relief of the forward cantilevered load created by the pregnancy, or minimize lower back aggravation and strain.
Canadian Patent No. 2,029,655, D. M. Ford, discloses a forerunner version of an abdominal support which has a triple layer construction which tends to be hot and confining, and has no abdominal pouch, posterior pocket, lateral oblique support or vertical front central support.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,250,807, Lunney, discloses an abdominal supporter which has a hip engaging back supporting jacket. The jacket is constructed of sheet fabric. The jacket is supported over the shoulders of the wearer by straps which are vertical at the front, but cross at the rear. The sides of the jacket can be expanded or contracted by drawstrings which are laced back and forth through eyelets. The suspender straps are permanently affixed to the rear and the sides of the abdominal support.
Lunney does not disclose an abdominal support area which has intersecting elasticizing fibres which align with the various layers of abdominal muscles of the wearer. Lunney does not disclose an abdominal pouch or a vertical front central support. Lunney does not disclose a hammock type abdominal support which has load carrying straps extending rearwardly under the arms from the abdominal area, intersecting at the shoulder blades and passing forwardly over each shoulder and either intersecting at the front chest or extending downwardly to the abdominal pouch. Lunney does not disclose a vertical pocket with a semi-rigid reinforcing plate at the lower back area of the abdominal support.
French Patent No. 886,594, Bonnereau, discloses an elasticized girdle which has an intersecting ribbon-web 5 woven across the front abdominal area of the girdle. The ribbon-webbing (rubans-sangles 5) is not elastic. Furthermore, Bonnereau does not disclose detachable suspenders, detachable panties, or reinforcing stays at the lower back area.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,232,282, Gossard, discloses an anatomical corset. The corset has angled bones or steels 15, 18 and 19, affixed to the abdominal, back and buttocks areas of the corset. These angled bones or steels are not elastic. Gossard also does not disclose detachable suspenders, nor detachable panties.
Several United States patents have been granted disclosing various designs of abdominal supports: U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,824, granted Jun. 6, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,317, granted Apr. 18, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,318, granted May 24, 1988.
Five papers are of interest in disclosing data relating to lower back and abdominal pain experienced by pregnant women and obese persons: Mantle, M. J., Greenwood, R. M., Currey H. L. F., (1977), Backache in Pregnancy, Rheum. and Rehab. 16:95-101; Fast, A., Shapiro, D., Ducommun, E. J., Friedmann, L. W., Bouklas, T., Floman, Y., (1987), Low-Back Pain in Pregnancy, Spine 12: 368-371; Berg, G., Hammar, M., Moller-Nielsen, J., Linden, U., Thorblad, J., (1988), Low Back Pain During Pregnancy, Obstet. and Gynec. 71:71-75; Fast, A., Weiss, L., Ducommun, E. J., Medina, E., Butler, J. G., (1990), Low-Back Pain in Pregnancy, Spine 15: 28-30; Ostgaard, H. C., Andersson, G. B. J., Karlsson, K., (1990), Prevalence Of Back Pain in pregancy, spine 16:549-552.